Orchard-heater.



J. L. HAMILTON. ORCHARD HEATER.y

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1909.

patented Nov. 15, 1910.

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@mmm/woz ...MmmmMJ-lm JAMES L. HAMILTON, OF GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO.

ORCHARD-HEATER. v

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 15, 1910.

Application iled June 26, 1909. Serial No. 504,629.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES L. HAMILTON,

l citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Junction, county of Mesa, and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and .useful Improvements in Orchard-Heaters;

and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theV letters and ligures of reference marked thereon,

which forma part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in Vorchard heaters, my object being to provide a construction of this class in whlch the l maximum heating results may be obtained from a minimum quantity' of fuel.

My improved construction consists of a fuel receptacle especially adapted for use in burning liquid fuel as crude oil. Within the center of this receptacle` is placed a frusto-conical tube or chimney, which is perforated throughout its length and projects considerably above the fuel receptacle, its

uplper portion being surrounded by a hood, w

ch 1s cone-shaped, its larger extremity resting on top of the fuel receptacle, while its upper extremity is provided with an opening into which the upper end of the perforated chimney is fitted. The upper part of the fuel receptacle, just below the ood, is provided' with perforations for the admission of air for draft purposes. In case additional draft is required, additional perforations, normally closed, may be opened both in the upper part of the fuel receptacle and in the hood, above said receptacle. v

Having briefly outlined my construction, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which 'is illustrated an embodi ment thereof. f

In this drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved orchard heater. Fig..

2 is a vertical, longitudinal section of the same.

The same reference characters indicate.

the same parts in all the views.

Let the figure 5 designate the fuel receptacle, which as illustrated in the drawing, is formed slightly frusto-conical in shape, vits lower extremity being smallest and gradually increasing yin diameter from the bottom toward the top. lThe upper portion of this receptacle is provided with a circumferential row of perforations 6 for draft purposes. It is also provided with a number of auxiliary perforations 7, adapted to be closed by valves or cut-offs 8, whlch are pivotally connected with the top of the receptacle, adjacent the erforations to be controlled. These auxiliary perforations may be used or not, as desired. I have also shown auxiliary draft perforations 9 in the hood, normally stopped by closures 10, which are hinged adjacent the perforations to be closed and are substantially of the same construction as the valves 8 of the receptacle. Both sets of auxiliary perforations may be used in case more draft or a hotter fire is desired. In some sections of the country, the temperature falls considerably lower than in other sections during the periods when orchard heaters are required. In the sections'where the mercury falls lowest during these periods, the auxiliary draft,

perforations may be left open, thus producing a' hotter 're and consuming a relatively greater quantity of fuel.

Within the center of the fuel receptacle is located a tube or chimney l2, which is perforated from to to bottom, and projects above the top o the fuel receptacle, being surrounded by a hood 13, whose lower part 'rests on the upper edge of the receptacle,

and 'whose upper extremity is open, as

' shown at 14, to allow the upper extremity of the chimney 12 to pass therethrough. The chimney is provided with perforations 15, which are formed therein at suitable intervals throughout the length of the chimney, the latter having the shape of a frustum of 4a cone, its lower extremity being smallest.

When the device -is in use, a suitable quantity of oil or other suitable .liquid fuel is placed in the receptacle which may be made of any desired size. This fuel may completelyfill the receptacle, that is up to a point' close to the draft perforations 6 and 7, or it may be at any desired lower level. The fuel of course enters the chimney 12 through the perforations and stands at the same level therein as in the body of the receptacle. The fuel is originally lighted in the chimney and the fire will burn temporarily only in the chimney or until the surface of the oil in the entire receptacle is heated sufliciently to ignite. As soon as the oil between the walls of the receptacle and the Walls of v created, which serves the tube or chimney ignites, the fire ceases in the tube, but .will burn in the combustion chamber or the portion of the fuel receptacle outside of the chimney. The fumes and converted gases pass up through the perforations in the chimney and out into the open.

The space between the sloping walls of the hood and the top of the liquid fuel-in the receptacle affords a chamber' of sufficient capacity for combustion purposes, even when the receptacle is full. As the oil burns lower in the receptacle, the said combustion chamber increases in capacity and more holes in the chimney are uncovered to allow for the escape of the increased products of combustion, the said conditions tending to produce perfect combustion at all times. Attention is called to the fact that the air necessaryfor purposes of combustion is fed into the combustion chamber at practically one level only, that level being near the top of the receptacle, whereby the entire depth of the receptacle below these perforations is available forholding the fuel. As the perforated tube or chimney extends considerably above this level, there is a slight draft to draw the air through the perforations into theV receptacle, into the lrising ases, carbureting them, whereby Vcombustion ismade practically perfect. By virtue of this construction, no air is admitted to the fire except under the hood, and eyery particle of air that is admitted must ass into the rising gases, thus making. com )ustio'n as nearly perfect as practicable.

It is evidentf that by increasing'or decreasing the sizeof the perforations in the receptacle and chimne a greater or smaller fire may be had. In the State of California, where the temperature -rarely falls more than a few degrees below freezing, particularly during the season when thisdevice would be required, this heater can be manufactured to burn a gallon of oil in six hours and furnish all theheat 'that would be required in that State; while in Colorado, the perforations would need to be larger so that the heater could consume a gallon of oil in four hours, with greater heat than in they first case; however, in both cases, practically perfect combustion is obtained.

It is evident that the device may be made to hold any desired quantity of oil. It is practicable to make it any size, having a capacity of from 1 to 4 gallons. Inl the State of Colorado, theheater .should preferably be made to hold 3 gallons, this size being adapted to burn from 12 to 13 hours. This requires no night refilling of the heaters.

Another excellent feature of this device, is that the fire is in direct Contact .with the outer wall of the receptacle, with the result tom, theupper part also perforated,

that there is a strong lateral radiation of l heat `from the bottom to the top of the receptacle, thus giving better protection to any class of vegetation that is low on the ground, as vegetables, straw-berries, etc.

My improved device is constructed for the purpose of obtaining combustion as nearly perfect as possible in a large carrying capacity. On a quiet night, with practically no wind, the heater burns with no smoke. This feature recommends it for use especially in lemon growing sections, where smoke must be avoided in heating the orchards.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An orchard heater, comprising a fuel receptacle having draft perforations near the top thereof, a centrally located perforated tube or'chimney projecting above the top of the receptacle, the perforations of of the rece tacle an downwardly below said top, w ereby they are gradually uncovered as the fuel is consumed, and a frusto-conical hood applied to the top of the reheater of relatively the'chimney extendin both above the top ceptacle and having an opening in its top,

the chimney tting closely in and closing said opening.

2. An orchard heater, comprising a fuel receptacle of frusto-conical shape, its larger extremity bein uppermost, a tube or chimney centrally -ocated inthe receptacle and projecting above the topI of the same, the said'tube being perforated from top to botof the receptaclebeing and a hood appliedto the top of the receptacle, the said hood having the shape'of the frustum of a cone, with its smaller extremity uppermost, the top of the hood having .an opening adapted to be closed by the upper extremity of the tube or chimney which fits closely therein.

3. An orchard heater, comprising a fuel receptacle, having draft openings near its top, a frustoconical, perforated tube or chimney centrally located in said rece tacle and projecting above thejtop thereo the perforations extendin downwardly f into ythe receptacle, whereby they are gradually uncovered as the fuel is consumed, and av frusto-conical hood having its smaller Iextremity uppermost, the hood being appliedto the top of the said receptacle and having an opening adapted to be closed by the upper extremity of the perforated chimney which its closely therein.

4. An orchard heater, comprising a fuel receptacle having perforations in its upper portlon for draft purposes, also auxiliary.

perforations, the rece `tacle bein e ui ed with adjustable closurles for the Iastlnzihpied perforations, a perforated tube or chimney centrally located in the said receptacle and projecting above thetop of the latter, the

perforations extendin downwardly into the receptacle, whereby t ey are'gradually ncovered as the fuel is consumed, a frustoconical hood applied to the top of the receptacle, the said hood having its smaller eX- tremity uppermost and provided with an opening adapted to be closed by the upper extremity of the perforated chimney which fits closely therein.v

5. An orchard heater, comprising a fuel receptacle, having draft openings formed in the upper portion thereof, a perforated tube or chimney centrally located in the receptacle, the perforations extending downwardly below the v top of the receptacle, whereby they are gradually uncovered as the fuel is consumed, the perforations also extending above the top ofv the receptacle, a hood applied to the top of the receptacle, the hood being of the shape of the frustum of a cone, having its smaller extremity uppermost, and provided with an opening surrounding the top of the perforated chimney which fits closely therein, and closes the. same, the hood being provided with auxiliary draft openings, for the purpose set forth. Y

6. An orchard heater, comprising a fuel receptacle having draft openings in its upper extremity, a perforated tube or chimneyr- 80 centrally located in said receptacle and projecting above the draft perforations of the latter, the perforations of the tube or chimney extending downwardly into the receptacle whereby they are gradually uncovered as the liquid lfuel is consumed, a frustoconical hood applied to the top of the chimney and having its upper extremity open to receive the chimney which ts closely therein and closes said opening, the hood being 40 JAMES L. HAMILTON.

Witnesses:

ETHEL BLACKWELLL E. G. GoLDswoRTHY. 

